{"id":17015,"date":"2021-09-05T18:54:18","date_gmt":"2021-09-05T18:54:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=17015"},"modified":"2022-02-02T13:54:48","modified_gmt":"2022-02-02T13:54:48","slug":"duane-syndrome","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-childrens-eye-exams\/pediatric-eye-exams-2\/duane-syndrome\/","title":{"rendered":"Duane Syndrome"},"content":{"rendered":"

Approximately 1 in 10,000 people worldwide have Duane syndrome.<\/b><\/h2>\n

Duane syndrome (DS) is a rare, non-progressive eye movement disorder, which is usually detected by doctors at childbirth.<\/p>\n

How does Duane Syndrome impact the eyes?<\/b><\/h2>\n

This condition affects the functioning of the nerves controlling the eye\u2019s muscles.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Due to the miswiring of the eye\u2019s nerves, this condition can cause some eye muscles to contract when they are not supposed to and other eye muscles not to contract when they should.<\/p>\n

The ability to shift the eye outward toward the ear (abduction) is limited or absent in people with DS. In most cases, they have limited ability to move the eye inward toward the nose (adduction).<\/p>\n

In some cases the eye moves toward the nose, retracting into the socket (retraction), causing the eye hole to narrow, and the eye may migrate upward or downward.<\/p>\n

Many DS patients develop a face turn to compensate for improper eye turning and maintain binocular vision.<\/p>\n

What causes Duane syndrome?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Duane syndrome is caused by an absence of or a problem with the operation of the 6th cranial nerve.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

This is a brain-controlled nerve that regulates one of the muscles that moves the eye laterally.<\/p>\n

The condition is assumed to begin in the third to sixth week of pregnancy when the cranial nerves and ocular muscles are still forming. The sixth cranial nerve either does not develop or does not function properly.<\/p>\n

More research is needed to know the exact disturbance in development. However, it\u2019s thought to be either genetic or environmental.<\/p>\n

SEE RELATED: <\/b>Does My Baby Have an Eye Problem?<\/a><\/p>\n

If you suspect your child might have Duane syndrome contact an eye doctor near you<\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\t

\n\t\t

Find an eye doctor near you<\/h3>\n\t\t\n\t
\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\n\n\t\t